Chapter 23 – Jealousy & the First Fight
Cedric walked Hermione back to the Gryffindor Tower, stopping outside and placing a kiss on her cheek before stuffing his hands in his pockets to walk away. His finger hit something in his pocket and he pulled it out. It was Cho's ring. Something jumped inside his chest as he wheeled around and called to Hermione.
"Wait!"
"Shh... What is it?"
"Here," Cedric said as he ran to her and grabbed her hand, but stopped as he realized that the bandage was keeping him from slipping it on her finger. He looked at her and then saw something shimmer on her neck. A necklace.
He turned her around and undid the clasp on the necklace, sliding the ring onto it and closing the clasp once more so that her necklace was back in place. He turned her back around as she looked down at the ring hanging from her neck.
"Cedric," Hermione said slowly. "Where did you- Why did you- What's this-"
She stopped though as he put a finger to her lips to silence her and leaned down, leaving a tender and taunting kiss on her lips that left her wanting more. He stood up straight once more, nodded, and set off down the corridor for his own common room.
The week came to a close on Friday, Hermione receiving hate mail the whole week through. She had listened to Hagrid's advice, though, and stopped opening the mail that she received. At least she stopped opening everything but the Howlers which exploded at breakfast and during most any time really, except in classes.
Hermione felt even worse, though, not just about the letters, but about Harry and Viktor. Viktor wasn't his usual grumpy looking self as he sat in the back of the library. He had even stopped coming in there when Hermione was in there. And poor Harry kept having to tell people that Hermione was his girlfriend. She could see that he was getting frustrated with it.
"It'll die down, though," Harry assured Hermione, "if we just ignore it... People got bored with that stuff she wrote about me last time-"
"I want to know how she's listening to private conversations when she's supposed to be banned from the grounds!"
On this particular day, Hermione was in a horrible mood. On her way down to breakfast, Cho had bumped into her and made all her books fall from her bag. Then, she followed Hermione on her early morning library trip. She had overheard Madam Pince answering her as to where a book was, and she ran to get it and check it out before Hermione could. So, the hate mail that came that morning really tipped the scale for Hermione and sent her into a rage.
The bell rang and they went to their first class of the day. Classes proved to be either boring, in the case of History of Magic, or rigorous for Hermione that day as she couldn't properly pay attention because of her anger. Another reason she couldn't pay attention was because Lavender and Parvati kept sending her notes in the middle of class while Professor Binns's back was turned. The notes kept asking where she had gotten the ring on her necklace and if it was from Harry or Viktor.
Hermione had angrily written her response in untidy writing. It told them to leave her alone that she was neither dating Harry or Viktor and that it wasn't from either of them. She continued on to tell them to stop sending her notes that she was trying to pay attention, and that they should mind their own business or just go and read Witch Weekly if they believed she was dating Harry.
Finally, thoughts of Rita Skeeter broke the barrier of her mind and furthered her lack of attention. 'How had Rita managed to get onto the grounds to hear what Viktor had to say about me?' Hermione was pondering this to herself as she stood in line for a test that Moody was giving them on hex-deflection.
Hermione lucked out because she was last in line and managed to escape Moody's hexes for a second round. She already had legs like Jell-o from a Jelly-Legs Jinx which was still wearing off, but she hung back as everyone scrambled out of class. She had something that she needed to ask Moody.
"Professor?"
"Yes, Miss Granger?"
"At the judging for the second task... did you see anyone? Rita Skeeter perhaps in an Invisibility Cloak? Around the judges' table?"
"Well," Moody growled, "I didn't see anyone, but I'll let you know if I do. This about that article everyone is making a fuss over?"
"Yes actually," Hermione admitted.
"I see you at breakfast with that mail you get... Nasty woman for doing that to you," Moody replied. There was a moment's silence and Hermione sighed as she realized that her chances of finding Rita's secret out were getting slim.
"Thanks, Professor," Hermione said at last as she carefully grabbed her bag and made her way out of the classroom on her weak legs. She finally caught up with Harry and Ron as she began to wonder how Rita could be making it onto the grounds without using a cloak to make herself invisible. "Well," Hermione panted, "Rita's definitely not using an Invisibility Cloak! Moody says he didn't see her anywhere near the judges' table at the second task, or anywhere near the lake!"
"Hermione, is there any point in telling you to drop this?"
"No!" Hermione's stubbornness seemed to be annoying Ron, but she wasn't going to listen to him and drop this. "I want to know how she heard me talking to Viktor! And how she found out about Hagrid's mum!"
"Maybe she had you bugged," Harry suggested.
"Bugged?" Ron's expression was full of confusion. "What... put fleas on her or something?"
"No," Harry said as he tried not to laugh. "Putting hidden microphones and things on her to record her conversations and listen in on things." Harry continued to explain how it worked and Ron seemed to be fascinated, but Hermione on the other hand, thought this impossible.
"Are you two ever going to read Hogwarts, A History?"
"What's the point? You know it by heart, we can just ask you," Ron said.
"All those substitutes for magic Muggles use – electricity, computers, and radar, and all those things – they all go haywire around Hogwarts, there's too much magic in the air. No, Rita's using magic to eavesdrop, she must be... If I could just find out what it is... ooh, if it's illegal, I'll have her..."
Hermione's face broke into a daydreaming sort of smile as she envisioned capturing Rita and turning her over to Ministry officials who would not only crack her quill, but her wand as well. Getting her to become a bad name for all as a lawbreaker would be an accomplishment that Hermione felt worth life devotion. 'That would stop anyone from suffering as I have.'
"Haven't we got enough to worry about?" Ron's words woke her up from her happy daydream and brought her back to reality where she still hadn't caught Rita or had the slightest idea how to. "Do we have to start a vendetta against Rita Skeeter as well?"
"I'm not asking you to help! I'll do it on my own!" Hermione was sick of Ron's nagging at her. She hadn't asked him to help, and besides, he should help her if he was a true friend who cared anything about stopping those nasty articles about her, Harry, Hagrid, and others.
Hermione stalked off down the third floor corridor, fuming and ranting in her head. 'He's just a selfish git. I wonder some times why I'm even friends with him!' Suddenly, she rounded a corner and bumped into someone. It was Viktor.
"Oh!" Hermione almost fell, but she caught herself upon the front of Viktor's robes, she still wasn't fully sturdy on her legs. "Why... hello, Viktor," Hermione greeted as she let go and stood up straight.
"Good day, Herm-own-ninny," Viktor said before walking past her. Hermione felt horribly heartbroken. She couldn't even have him as a friend now, what good was that? She felt like the worst person in the world, and the thing that bothered her most was that she felt so helpless and stressed to the point where she believed she had no power in any situation.
Frustration took her over. It swelled in her chest and pushed tears forward as she watched Viktor turn the corner. She needed to get away, to relax. She ran the rest of the way to the Gryffindor Tower, not caring who saw her or who called to her, she wasn't stopping until she got to the safety and comfort of her dorm.
She entered the common room and ran straight for her room. She threw herself upon the bed, her hangings coming loose and closing partly. They blocked out the sun partly, it gave Hermione a visual of just how she felt. Half in the dark about things.
Meanwhile, Cedric was sitting in the Great Hall looking for Hermione. He wanted to see her. He hadn't properly talked to her for a week. There had been the occasional 'hi' in the corridors and the waves and blushes when they saw each other, but they hadn't been able to see each other because Cedric hadn't been on prefect duty as of late.
Ever since Filch had found his prefect badge and turned it over to Snape, who in turn had gotten Professor Sprout, Cedric had been taken off late night duty. They couldn't find him that night, and of course they wouldn't have, so Sprout said that Snape suggested he was in his common room or another room sleeping. She had also said that she felt he should be getting his sleep at night because he was a school champion.
This angered him a bit, but he had presented no argument. Cedric sighed as he thought about going up to the library, maybe he could find Hermione there. And even if he couldn't, he would continue up to the Owlery and send her a letter on when she could meet him.
Cedric exited the Great Hall and was going to start up the marble staircase when he saw Viktor. Viktor glowered at him for a moment before speaking to him.
"Can I haff a vord vith you?"
"Certainly," Cedric answered in all politeness. They stepped off to the shadows of the marble staircase and Viktor seemed to be standing there in a very defensive position. Cedric brow furrowed, but he soon found out why Viktor was so mean toward him.
"I haff really liked Herm-own-ninny since I first seen her... I vood do anything to see her happy... even take her from you-"
"Now wait just a minute!" Cedric wasn't about to be bullied by him, and he wasn't about to have someone tell him to his face that they were going to steal his girlfriend, his Hermione. "I love Hermione and I won't allow anyone to take her from me-"
"Vell, if you ever hurt her, I vill get you back for her. If ever you mess up, I'm going to be right there for her," Viktor said firmly.
"I'm not going to mess up," Cedric reassured him. "I've done told you that I love her and I'm never going to let any harm come to her." Cedric stalked away from Viktor, making his way toward his dormitory in anger, completely forgetting that he was going to go to the library to look for Hermione. Perhaps though, he shouldn't have been so worried for Hermione's safety because little did he know, the loss of one could certainly harm another.
Easter vacation came at light speed for them all, and Hermione was a bit happy about that. She had been plagued with work for all her classes, but this wasn't all. Harry had came back the night he had went down to the Quidditch pitch to see Bagman, telling them about Mr. Crouch appearing and Viktor being attacked.
Hermione had initially been worried for Harry, but upon hearing that Viktor was attacked, she made a mental note to go see him. Things just seemed to get worse, though. They had been up all that night talking about Crouch and how he had babbled on. By the next day, they were all dying for sleep and Hermione had a horrid headache from stress.
She wanted to help Harry with the whole Crouch situation, she wanted to get her school work finished, she wanted to go see Viktor, she wanted to spend time with Harry to practice spells and such as Sirius had suggested to them, and she wanted to see Cedric as well as find out how Rita was eavesdropping. But she couldn't do these all at once and it was driving her made. She felt very ill tempered and frustrated as she made her way to the Great Hall for breakfast.
Suddenly someone whistled and she looked up expecting to see the face of Draco Malfoy. Whistling was just the kind of ignorantly rude thing he would do. But instead, it wasn't Draco, it was Cedric. Hermione's brow furrowed as Cedric jerked his head toward the corridor that lead to the Hufflepuff common room.
"He doesn't have to call me like I'm a dog," Hermione grumbled as she walked toward him.
"Hi," Cedric said as he took her hand. They were now bandage free, and he felt the ring he had given her on her ring finger which made him smile. "How are you?"
"Irritated really," Hermione replied shortly.
"Oh... why?"
"I've just got so much on my mind lately. Harry and things for him, my own work, trying to divide up time for everyone... Viktor-"
"Viktor?" Cedric's words came in a shocked sort of choke as he stopped dead next to her and turned to look at her in suspicion. "Why are you worried about him?"
"He was attacked, Cedric," Hermione informed. "Why wouldn't I be worried for him?"
"He's fine... He was just in the library yesterday signing autographs for his little fan club," Cedric said with a bit of annoyance as he recalled how Viktor stood there broodingly signing moving pictures of himself for giggling and whispering girls.
"I'm sensing hostility here, Cedric," Hermione said in a slow, warning tone. "And it isn't like you... What's going on?"
"Hostility? No, just caution," Cedric corrected. "You can't trust hi-"
"Oh no, not you too! First Ron, then Hagrid, and now you! I'm so sick of this," Hermione hissed. Ron had been so mean to her about Viktor, but she had finally gotten over his jealousy of Viktor. Then Hagrid had scolded her two days after Mr. Crouch had turned up on the grounds that night. Now Cedric was being skeptical toward Viktor and he didn't even really know him.
Hermione could stand no more. She yanked her hand from his grasp, turned on her heel quickly, and stalked off. As she went, Cedric recalled how Cho used to do that. Was it a thing with all girl, or just the ones that he picked?
Hermione made her way out onto the grounds. She was sure that she would find Viktor on the Durmstrang ship. She had been most certainly right too. There he was, in swimming trunks, getting ready to dive into the lake. She hurried down the sloping lawns toward the ship, her legs carrying her as fast as she could go.
"Viktor!" He looked up at her as she stopped at the lake's shore. He squinted at her and held up a finger to tell her just a minute as he got down off the ship's railing and disappeared below the deck.
He emerged minutes later, fully dressed and looking thoroughly happy to see her. He walked over and took a seat next to her on the large rock under the tree. They were silent for a few minutes as Hermione sighed and watched a leaf float upon the water's placid surface. Viktor sat there, staring at her with a longing as she finally spoke up.
"So, how are you doing? I mean... since... that night," Hermione asked.
"Fine. I haff never been better. Vhat about you?"
"Oh, I'm good. I've been really busy with school work, though. I'm just sorry I didn't get to come see you earlier," Hermione apologized.
"It's all right," Viktor said softly as he smiled gently at her. It was something strange to see him smile, but Hermione returned the smile gratefully. It was nice to be in comforting company with all of the stress she was under lately. Silence enveloped them once more and Hermione felt a nervous feeling growing in her as she noticed her was staring at her in a transfixed way.
"I uh- I also never got to apologize for Rita's nasty article... I'm not dating Harry and I'm sure you know that," Hermione said with a half-hearted laugh.
"Yes, I know." Chills started to creep up Hermione's back. She would have given anything to see another student walking around the desert grounds, but no one was in sight. Hagrid wasn't even outside of his cabin and there was no one on the deck of the Durmstrang ship.
"So, speaking of Harry... What happened that night?"
"I vood rather not talk about it," Viktor said firmly. Hermione took the hint and nodded as she drew her knees up to her chin and wrapped her arms around her legs, hugging them to her chest.
"What uh- what would you like to talk about?" Hermione couldn't stand the silence between them. She then realized that she preferred the way things had been when he would just say hi and then pass her by. She didn't feel so nervous or scared then.
"Us." Hermione's head shot up off her knees and she looked over at him as he stood up and brought his lips toward hers. She froze, she had no idea what to do. Should she jinx him? He was only mere inches from her now as she spoke up rather loudly.
"Wait! What are you doing?"
"Herm-own-ninny, I really care about you," he whispered as he stared into her eyes. "You should be vith me and not Diggory." Cedric's name sounded like poison coming out of his mouth and it made Hermione shiver. She didn't like this situation and she really wished now she hadn't given Cedric hard time.
"I've got to go," Hermione announced stiffly as she let her legs unfold and made to slide down off the rock.
"Please, Herm-own-ninny... Don't go," Viktor pleaded, but Hermione wasn't going to listen as she slipped past him and started along the shore. He wasn't about to have her deny him, though as he grabbed her wrist and spun her around to face him. Her bracelet broke and cut her arm as the sharp bit of chain scraped across her skin.
She winced and in the time it took her to register the pain, Viktor's lips came crashing down upon hers. She felt the inside of her lip burst against her teeth and blood contaminate her mouth with its copper tang. She used all her might to push Viktor off as she took off running away from him for the castle.